We bid farewell to Tokyo this am and boarded the city bus to Matsumoto. It took about 3 hours to go from Tokyo to Matsumoto. It was a very nice ride, buses are very comfy and very quiet. Upon our arrival we went on a city walk to the Castle. What a sight to behold, The Black Crow, as it has been called due to it's black exterior. We were greeted by a Samurai and a lady in a beautiful kimono. We had to take our shoes off at the door and toured the castle in our sock and bare feet. Our tour guide gave us all the history of the lovely castle and the stories of the Shoguns and their quest for land and power!
After touring the Castle, we checked into our beautiful hotel, Hotel Soho, complete with Onsen. Below is the view of the Japanese Alps, quite the sight. We were treated to an authentic Japanese dinner, served by ladies in kimonos. It was delicious and quite a memory. For anyone that hasn't been to Japan, Onsens are a very big part of the Japanese lifestyle. In the mountain area of Japan, there are many hot springs. For us Westerners, it is a bit of an eye opener.....bathing suits are not allowed in the hot springs...or towels... They are usually male and female Onsens in the hotels, however there are some co-ed ones as well.
Tomorrow we will visit the Snow Wall in Norikurakogen and then Kamichochi!! Stay tuned!!
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